Summer Hardship Fund 2025

Award value

Awards can vary and will depend on your circumstances. The assessment will factor in your individual situation and the award that you may receive will reflect the overall level of financial need that the assessment has demonstrated.

If your application is successful, you could receive between £250 - £1,500, however the exact award amount is determined on a case-by-case basis.

 

Eligibility criteria

This fund is open to all home, EU and international students.

The eligibility criteria is as follows:

• Must be currently enrolled and must also be one of the following:
  • Studying on a course that continues through the summer period
  • Resitting assessments in August
  • Care-experienced/a care leaver 
  • Estranged student 
  • Student with caring responsibilities e.g. students who are parents or care for another family member
  • Student with a disability that prevents them from working over the summer
  • Unable to return to a family home for the summer period

Important note for final year students: you can only apply if you are studying on a course that continues through the summer period or are resitting assessments in August. You may not apply under the other criteria. 

 

Award conditions

We use the data provided in your application to assess your immediate need - a hardship grant cannot cover all of your costs over the summer period and if an award is made it will only be a contribution towards your total assessed shortfall.

 

Application process

Step 1: Apply online

Please apply using the red 'Apply' button on the top of this page.

Step 2: Submit your supporting documents with the form

All supporting documents must be legible, scanned/electronic copies, preferably saved in a PDF format. Documents should be titled with the following format:

SURNAME, Name – document title (e.g. SMITH, John – March bank statement)

Evidence you need to submit: 

• A personal statement (max 500 words)
• Copies of the last 3 months of financial statements for all current, savings and online accounts in your name. Please annotate all transactions OUT OF your account with a value over £100, and all payments INTO your account, regardless of their value
• Evidence of your rent
• If relevant, evidence of caring responsibilities
• If relevant, evidence of relevant disabilities or chronic medical conditions
• If relevant, evidence of employment
• If relevant, evidence of any additional bursaries, scholarships, sponsorship or hardship funding you expect to receive over the Summer period.

Your completed application and evidence must reach us by 5pm 22nd August 2025 in order to be considered. 

Selection process

All applications will be assessed using an ‘additional need’ methodology, which looks at the difference between accepted reasonable expenditure and expected funding, while also taking into account each applicant’s individual circumstances.